Hunter Living Historians Go To “Hollywood”

“Hollywood” Nestled between the suburbs of Lambton and Jesmond New South Wales existed the camp or shanty town known as “Hollywood”. On the 24th February 2023, historians from the University of Newcastle’s Hunter Living Histories toured the archaeological dig with senior archaeologist Tim Adams, from Unwelt Pty Ltd. One of the participants, Lachlan Wetherall has … More Hunter Living Historians Go To “Hollywood”

Fringe Histories 2023 – Call for blog posts

We are calling for Fringe Histories Project blog posts on the Hunter Living Histories website. We are inviting students, alumni, and academics to use Special Collections resources and contribute blog posts on themes reflecting diversity, our marginalised communities and lost histories on the fringe of research. Some of our research and resources are available online … More Fringe Histories 2023 – Call for blog posts

Did Captain Cook Sight and Draw the “Small Round Rock or Island” now known as Nobbys Whibayganba on 10th May 1770?

Cook sights the “small round rock or island” According to the 1790 published account of Captain Cook’s Voyages Round the World, around noon on the 10th May 1770, Cook sights the “small round rock or island” later to be known to Europeans as “Nobbys” and to the Aboriginal people of Newcastle Mulubinba as “Whibayganba”. At … More Did Captain Cook Sight and Draw the “Small Round Rock or Island” now known as Nobbys Whibayganba on 10th May 1770?

INVITE Dr Bob James Fraternal Societies Exhibition

You are invited to the launch of the Dr Bob James Fraternal Societies Exhibition at Special Collections (Auchmuty Library) Callaghan Campus on Wednesday 23 March, 2-3 pm. Dr Bob James has prepared the following blog post associated with the upcoming exhibition and we sincerely thank him for his contribution. A selection of items from the … More INVITE Dr Bob James Fraternal Societies Exhibition

Report on The Entrance To The Macleay River (1890)

    Acknowledgment of Aboriginal Country The Dunghutti people are the traditional custodians of the land surrounding the Macleay River catchment and the Apsley River catchment. This work respectfully honours the First Australian People, the Aboriginal People of this land. DOWNLOAD Macleay River report on entrance to. by Sir John Coode. Sydney : George Stephen … More Report on The Entrance To The Macleay River (1890)

The Quest for Sturt’s “Underground Room” (1845)

What is the aim of the Project? To archaeologically survey, document and verify the location of the Sturt expedition’s (1844-1846) underground room at Depot Glen, near Milparinka. What is the “Underground Room”? The “underground room” is a subterranean bunker dug out by Sturt’s expedition team in 1845 to escape the heat of the summer, and … More The Quest for Sturt’s “Underground Room” (1845)

Aboriginal breastplate ‘Sandy, Chief of Coringori’

During January 2022 Dr Alison Clark from National Museums Scotland contacted HLH, she is conducting provenance research on a brass breastplate in their collection.  Dr Clark would like to find out more about the individual who was given the breastplate, and asks who gave it to him, and how the breastplate came to Scotland. “The … More Aboriginal breastplate ‘Sandy, Chief of Coringori’

Newcastle’s Customs House Time Ball

  Presentation Newcastle Time Ball at November Hunter Living Histories Meeting – Associate Prof Nancy Cushing (University of Newcastle) Bob Donnelly kindly loaned the following sources to Special Collections to share with the wider community. As an Engineer he worked on the reinstatement of the time Ball at Newcastle’s former Customs House in 1988. A … More Newcastle’s Customs House Time Ball